December 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019
One of American comedy’s great (and relatively unheralded) voices, Elaine May has forged a long and successful career in show business—still going strong on Broadway today. May directed four feature films in Hollywood, some misunderstood at their time of release, others buried and left to languish in obscurity. With hindsight, May is one of the key directors of the New Hollywood period.
A New Leaf
Directed by Elaine May
May, as one half of the legendary comedy team Nichols and May, established herself as a comedic powerhouse on stage …
The Heartbreak Kid
Directed by Elaine May
Elaine May’s sophomore feature, from an extremely sharp screenplay by Neil Simon, takes the broad slapstick-lite comedy of her debut …
Mikey & Nicky
Directed by Elaine May
A deep departure from Elaine May’s previous two features—A New Leaf (1971) and The Heartbreak Kid (1972)—this New Hollywood picture …
Ishtar
Directed by Elaine May
A legendarily over-budget film maudit (cursed film) and produced a full eleven years after the release of May’s prior film …